Road Trip
by MaraSil
Summary: While on the road to yet another investigation of bizarre circumstances, Mulder and Scully have it out: belief vs. science. Their conversation leads them to the next step in their relationship. Complete
1. Road Trip

Road Trip

A/N: I haven't decided whether this should stay a one-shot or if I should continue the story. */ , , {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} 1 {page:Section1;} --

The ringing of the telephone dragged Scully out of a deep sleep. She fumbled for the receiver before even considering opening her eyes.

"This is Scully," she croaked.

"Scully? What's the matter with you? You sound like a frog."

'_Mulder,'_ she thought murderously. Scully opened her eyes and squinted at the clock next to the bed.

"Damn it, Mulder, this had better be important. It's 4:30 in the morning!"

"What, and you're not awake? How are you gonna catch the bad guys if you sleep your life away?"

"Mulder, so help me…" she threatened.

"Okay, okay. We've got a case. A 12-year-old girl wakes up screaming in the middle of the night. When her mother checks on her, she finds a weird tattoo on the girl's arm practically burning through her skin. Nobody knows how it got there."

"How's the girl?"

"She's in the hospital. I'll fill you in on the details when I pick you up. I'm about 10 minutes away."

"Ten minutes? Mulder!" Scully yelled.

"Yeah, see you in a few." The line went dead. He'd hung up!

*****

Scully settled into Mulder's car, drained her coffee in minutes, and sighed. She knew Mulder was waiting for her to start the conversation. He'd already filled his annoyance quota for the morning. She looked over at him, and damn if he wasn't holding back a smile!

"All right, Mulder, why are we interested in a tattoo?" She knew there had to be more to the story; there always was on the X-Files.

Definitely a smile now. Why did he have to be so juvenile? It made him entirely too boyishly adorable.

"Turns out our 12-year-old girl isn't the only one with a burning tattoo. Ten miles down the road, another 12-year-old girl woke up screaming at the same time. The girls don't even know each other."

"Or they say they don't know each other. They probably met somewhere, decided to do something stupid together, and ended up paying the price." As usual, the explanation seemed obvious to Scully. Of course, the explanation usually seemed obvious to Mulder too; they just always disagreed on the explanation.

"I don't think so, Scully. I think it's clear what's going on here."

"And what's that?" asked Scully, already suspecting that the answer he'd give would be something outlandish.

"Alien abduction. Those girls were taken, experimented on to who knows what extent, and then returned. So far the only visible sign is the tattoo, but I'm sure further testing will reveal a lot more."

Alien abduction. Of course Mulder would jump to that conclusion. And remembering that they were talking about pre-teen girls, she knew this case would be hitting close to home. Scully studied Mulder more closely; he wasn't smiling anymore and his hands gripped the steering wheel too tightly. Was he reliving what had happened to Samantha?

"Mulder, I realize this case might be difficult for you. But I honestly think we'll find a reasonable, scientific explanation for what's happening." Mulder had been there for her so many times; she could try to reassure him now.

"Scully, why do you always question outright what I propose for an explanation? Why can't you ever just say, _'Mulder, I think you're right. There is something strange going on here, something inexplicable by ordinary means. I believe you.'_ Why can't you say that? You know I always turn out to be right in the end."

That was different. Scully and Mulder often butted heads when discussing and even arguing cases. But she thought he relied on her skepticism as much as he relied on his own insight. He'd told her he valued that about her. Had he tired of the constant conflict? But she couldn't just snap her fingers and change who she was, not even for him. She didn't even think she should.

"What are you saying, Mulder? That you want me to just accept everything you say without question? You know I can't do that. I believe in provable hypotheses, in the most probable and scientific explanations. I can't just ignore that." Is that what he wanted from her? If he did, she might as well just ask Skinner for a reassignment today, much as the thought made her stomach suddenly feel hollow.

"Scully, the world isn't as ordered as you'd like to imagine. After all the cases we've investigated, how can you still think that?" He sounded frustrated. Did he really not understand her after all this time?

"Mulder, I believe in process, in cause and effect. How can you not? If I toss a coin ten times and it lands heads every time, when I toss the coin the eleventh time, there's still only a 50-50 chance that it will land heads or tails. There are scientific rules and constants."

"But that's a matter of probability. That's the problem, Scully. You see the world in terms of probability – probable cause, probable explanations. You should know by now that the cases we work on are the most improbable anyone ever sees. It's not always about probability. Sometimes it's about intuition and faith and the vastness of _possibility_."

Scully just stared at Mulder, dumbstruck. There was almost a zealous look in his eyes. What was he trying to prove? She knew about faith; she'd never denied it. But that didn't mean she had to give up trying to make sense of the world.

"Look, Mulder, maybe this isn't working anymore. Maybe it's time you found another partner."

Mulder turned to look at her so suddenly, he nearly swerved the car off the road.

"Mulder!"

He pulled over to the side of the road and stopped the car. For a long moment, he stared at his hands on the wheel, breathing deeply. Scully was so stunned, she said nothing. Finally, Mulder turned to her.

"Are you all right?" he asked softly.

"I'm fine. The question is, are you all right?" She didn't know what to think; Mulder was acting so strangely.

"Scully, I…Look, Scully. I don't want another partner. Just because I wish sometimes that you thought the same way I do, that doesn't mean I want a non-thinking automaton by my side. I need you, Scully. You challenge me in ways no one else ever has. It actually helps me define what I think and believe. I don't really want you to change. I want you the way you are." He put his hands on her shoulders and shook her gently, as though trying to shake the truth of his words into her.

He _needed_ her, _wanted_ her? If he were anyone else, she'd think_…'Well, I'm better off not going there,'_ she thought. Even though Mulder was…_'Stop it, Dana!'_

"Well I don't want another partner either. These past two years have been the most extraordinary of my life. I want to see where else we go from here." There. He could take that any way he wanted. Let him think about the vastness of possibility if he wanted to.

Mulder blinked a few times, and then smiled. It was the warmest smile he'd ever given her.

"Well, then, let's get going."


	2. Investigation and Flirtation

A/N: I thought this was worth at least another chapter. Reviews are strongly encouraged and gratefully received. As a novice writer, I'll take what I can get. :)

*****

Scully and Mulder walked into City Hospital where both girls were being treated. They approached the police officers gathered at the main nurse's station and showed their badges.

"I'm Special Agent Fox Mulder. This is Special Agent Dana Scully. We've been called in to investigate the case of the 12-year-old girls with the tattoos. I understand they've both been admitted to this hospital."

Mulder tried to keep his voice neutral; it was always tricky dealing with the local authorities. A short, dark-haired Hispanic officer grinned at them and extended a hand.

"Agent Mulder, Agent Scully, I'm Sheriff Castro. I'm glad to see you. This is just about the weirdest case I've seen since my Abuela burned offerings to one of her saints and our chickens died. We could sure use your help."

Mulder smiled; Scully held back a laugh. She was familiar with the Santero traditions from her own Catholic background. Mulder, of course, thrilled at all things ritual. They shook hands; Scully was relieved to be working a case where the local authorities were cooperative. Finally.

"I'm pleased to meet you, Sheriff Castro. Can we see the girls? We have the files you forwarded to the FBI, but we'd like to ask some more questions. I'd also like to take sample grafts of the tattoos to the lab in Langley for more extensive analysis. And I'd like to look at the girls' medical records. I'm a medical doctor as well," offered Scully.

"I'll make sure the samples and copies of the records are prepared while you interview the girls. You can pick them up here when you're done. Wow, they sure sent us the best, didn't they?" Sheriff Castro said with a look of admiration. Scully noticed Mulder watching them, frowning.

"Sheriff, if you could just tell us the room numbers?" Mulder prodded.

"Sure thing. They're in adjoining rooms, 112 and 113. Watch out for the moms; they're a bit overprotective."

"Thanks for the warning, Sheriff," Scully replied.

As they walked down the hall in search of the rooms, Mulder look at Scully.

"The Sheriff sure seemed impressed with you, Scully."

Scully smiled. "Well, Mulder, I am pretty impressive."

Mulder smiled back. "Promises, promises, Scully."

Scully had to hold back another laugh. Mulder was actually flirting with her! She supposed he considered this part of the vastness of possibility. Before she could think of a response, they reached the girls' rooms.

"Do you want to split up the interviews, Mulder? We can compare notes afterward and look for discrepancies."

"Sounds good, Scully." Mulder looked at the names posted beside the room doors. "I'll take Michelle Trask in 112; you take Sarah Morrow in 113. And we can compare and look for all kinds of things afterward."

Scully raised an eyebrow. That conversation in the car had certainly sparked something in Mulder, all right. She was surprised at him, but not displeased. Which did surprise her a bit.

"Down, boy. I'll meet you at the nurse's station when we're done. The Sheriff should have the samples and records ready for us by then." With that, she knocked on the door and entered room 113.

Inside was a thin blond girl with a bandage on her arm. An equally thin blond woman sat by the bed. She held the girl's hand tightly. She stood when Scully entered the room.

"Mrs. Morrow? I'm Special Agent Dana Scully of the FBI. I'm here to investigate what's happened to Sarah." Scully walked over to the bed.

"I hope you're not here to badger my daughter like everyone else has. She's suffered enough." Mrs. Morrow's tone was harsh, but Scully also heard the fear underneath.

"Mrs. Morrow, my partner and I have investigated a lot of unusual cases, with a high degree of success. I promise you, I'm only here to make sure that your daughter is in no danger. Along with searching through all of the evidence, talking with her will help me gather as much information as I can in order to determine that. Will you let me do that?" Scully could understand a mother's protective instinct.

Scully saw Mrs. Morrow visibly relax; her tension must be almost unbearable.

"I'm sorry for being rude, Agent Scully. Yes, of course, do what you need to do. I want my daughter to be safe."

Scully looked at Sarah, who had been quiet all this time. She didn't look afraid, as Scully might have expected her to be; she looked angry.

"Sarah, my name is Dana. I'd like to ask you about what happened, if that's all right with you." Scully sensed that she needed to approach the girl carefully.

"You don't care about me, you just want your filthy piece of flesh like everybody else," the girl hissed.

Scully was shocked at the girl's response and behavior. Mrs. Morrow looked equally shocked.

"Sarah, what are you saying? Why are you talking this way? Agent Scully, I swear, I've never seen her behave this way before."

"Shut your mouth! Just shut your filthy mouth!" The girl was screaming now, straining to tear her hand from her mother's grasp. Suddenly, the girl collapsed against the pillows and blinked.

"Mom? What's going on?" Sarah looked up at Scully. "Who are you?"

"Sarah, don't you remember when I came into the room and introduced myself? I'm Special Agent Dana Scully." Scully was thrown by the girl's sudden change in behavior and apparently affected memory.

"I don't remember. Just like I can't remember about how I got this tattoo. Mom, please, I just can't remember, I can't…" Sarah started crying. Having witnessed the previous scene, Scully was inclined to believe the girl. It seemed she'd undergone something that affected her behavior as well as her memory.

"It's okay, Sarah. I'm going to try to find the answers for you. Mrs. Morrow, my partner and I have a lot of evidence to go through. We'll be back when we've got more to go on. Don't worry, we'll figure out what's going on here."

Scully replayed the scene in her mind as she walked back to the nurse's station. It was bizarre; what was causing the girl's behavior, and what did the tattoo have to do with it?

Mulder was waiting for her with the samples and copies when she arrived. Sheriff Castro was nowhere in sight.

"Mulder, the strangest thing happened while I was interviewing Sarah."

"Let me guess. She started out screaming, completely out of character for the girl, and then collapsed, not remembering what had happened."

"Don't tell me the same thing happened with Michelle?"

"You got it. Still think there's nothing weird going on here, Scully? But I'll do you one better. The police took samples of some ash they found around the girls' beds. I've got the results of the analysis right here; it's a mixture of coal and sand. A very specific kind of sand. They've traced it to land owned by a local Wiccan community."

"Witches?"

"That's right. And the Sheriff kindly gave me copies of the rest of the files before he and his men were called away. Take a look at this." Mulder handed Scully a photo of one of the girl's bedroom. The ash was arranged in a pattern around the bed.

"This looks like some sort of ritualistic placement, Mulder."

"Bingo. I think it's time for another road trip, Scully. Looks like we'll have to save our own rituals for later."

"Promises, promises, Mulder."


	3. Road to a Wiccan

A/N: This is a bit X-Files lite, I know, but I'm just writing for the fun of it. Hope you enjoy.

* * * * *

Chapter 3: Road to a Wiccan

The drive to the Wiccan owned land would take a couple of hours at least. Scully took advantage of some of that time and read through the girls' medical records and test results. She'd messengered the samples to the lab at Langley for analysis, opting to accompany Mulder to the site rather than conducting the analysis herself. She told herself firmly that wanting to stay close to Mulder had nothing to do with her decision. She glanced at her partner.

"Anything interesting in there, Scully?" Mulder asked, noticing her quick glance.

"Blood analysis shows unusually high levels of magnesium and extremely low levels of iron. I can't be sure what that means yet, but both results are inconsistent with the girls' medical histories and most recent physicals. EEGs taken before we saw the girls were normal, but I asked her doctors to run another series of tests after the reactions we witnessed at the hospital. That's all we've got until we get more information from the hospital and the lab at Langley."

"So what do you think it all means?"

"I don't know, Mulder. I don't have enough information yet to formulate a theory." Scully didn't like jumping to early conclusions; it tainted the way one looked at evidence.

"Wanna hear my theory?" _'Here we go,'_ thought Scully. "Wiccans generally aren't involved in anything too out there, but occasionally you can find a sect that has some unusual practices."

"Unusual in what way, Mulder?"

"Could be just about anything. But I know a little bit about the Wiccans in this area."

"Really, Mulder? How?" Mulder lived, ate, and breathed the X-Files. Scully knew he was always researching and learning about cults, religions, the paranormal, and most things that had no official explanation. She sometimes wondered how he stayed on top of it all.

"I used to date one of them," he said with a grin. _'Figures,'_ Scully thought. "They have a lot of unorthodox rituals. Among other things, they're big into fertility and pleasure."

Was he pulling her leg? Probably not; when it came to the unexpected, he never was.

"Fertility and pleasure," she said flatly. "I don't suppose you ever participated in one of these rituals?"

"That's a story for another time, Scully. Remind me after we've solved this case. I'd be happy to reenact it with you." And there was that grin again, only this time there was something in his eyes that made Scully squirm in her seat.

"What does this have to do with the case, Mulder?" Scully asked, her unexpected reaction making her voice sharper than normal.

"Well, they have other rituals that you might be interested in. For example, these particular Wiccans believe it's possible to retain some of their youth and achieve a longer life span by bonding in some way with a child."

Now this had some possibilities. Could the Wiccans have drugged the girls to gain their compliance, resulting in the memory loss and unusual chemical blood composition, and then used the tattoos as part of some sort of rejuvenation ritual?

"Wait a minute, Mulder. What about the theory you had when you first told me about the case? You know, alien abduction?" He'd seemed so sure then.

"Oh, well, that was before Sheriff Castro gave me the additional files at the hospital. The pictures of the girls' bedrooms led in a different direction."

"So you were wrong, Mulder, is that what you're saying?" Scully was not about to let this one go. It wasn't often that Mulder's first guess was wrong.

Mulder frowned at her. "Yes, Scully, I was wrong. There, are you happy now?"

Scully grinned. This was almost too delicious to end; she couldn't resist teasing him a little the way he'd been teasing her all afternoon.

"You know, Mulder, I think it's really sexy when a man can admit he's wrong." And throwing caution to the wind, she winked at him.

Mulder gave her a long look before answering. "I'll have to remember that, Scully. I may just have to be wrong more often." He winked back at her.

The car ride had flown by. Just ahead was the marked entrance to the Wiccan territory. Scully almost regretted how fast the trip had seemed. She was enjoying being alone in a car with Mulder in a way she never had before. It felt so much more intimate. She supposed it was because of her own growing awareness of Mulder as more than a partner. She wondered how much of Mulder's banter was just that, or if there was something more to it. Even though it would complicate things, she hoped it was more.

Scully removed her seat belt and was about to open the door when she felt Mulder's hand on her shoulder. She turned to look at him, expecting to see the already familiar teasing look in his eyes. She was surprised to see that his expression was serious and searching. Her own gaze locked with his.

"Scully, when this case is over, I want us to spend some time talking about something besides the X-Files. There's a lot I want to say to you."

Without breaking eye contact, Mulder moved his hand from her shoulder and brushed his fingertips along her jaw and across her lips. Scully's breath caught in her throat. She felt her heart hammering in her chest.

"Mulder, after this case is over, if all we do is more talking, I'll take you down myself." Her voice was thready.

"I hope so, Scully. I think I'd enjoy that." Mulder leaned in and planted a barely-there kiss on her lips.

"Let's go find us some Wiccans and solve this case."


	4. The Wiccan Hits the Fan

A/N: This is the final chapter. It's my first X-Files fan fic. Please review; any and all feedback would be helpful and appreciated.

* * * * *

Chapter 4: The Wiccan Hits the Fan

The Wiccan land was desolate, rocky ground more than anything else. A chain link fence edged the perimeter, but the gate was ajar with the lock hanging open. Mulder and Scully made their way through the entrance and approached a house some distance away. The house was run down, its windows blackened.

"All right, Sheriff. We'll check things out here." Mulder ended the call. "The Sheriff's heard some rumors about the Wiccans, but nothing that ever gave him cause to question them."

"Is he sending anyone out here?" Scully asked.

"No, he and his men are still tied up on another case. Looks like we're on our own, partner."

Scully didn't mind; even with the police being cooperative, she and Mulder worked best together because they knew each other so well.

"So what was her name?" Scully asked, more out of curiosity than anything else. Mulder raised an eyebrow in question. "The Wiccan you dated? Do you think she's still here?"

"Her name was Cynthia. And no, I don't think she's still here. It was years ago. Last I heard she was moving to New York. She was very…adventurous."

Scully decided not to ask what that meant.

"Of course, I've come to appreciate other things since then. Things like intellectual stimulation, courage, soft plump lips…"

Mulder, staring at Scully now, nearly came to a stop. After a moment he shook his head, and with a wry grin said, "We really need to settle things between us soon. I can't take the distraction of my imagination."

Scully, whose insides were starting to turn to jelly every time he looked at her _that_ way, silently agreed. She cleared her throat and prepared to tell him so, when they heard a scream coming from the house. Both agents immediately drew their guns and, with a quick glance at each other, ran the rest of the way, eyes alert for any movement.

Another scream pierced the air. To Scully's ears, it sounded like it came from someone young. She and Mulder reached the house and ran up the stairs. Mulder banged on the door.

"Federal agents, open up!" Muffled sounds and a crash was the only response. Mulder looked at Scully; she indicated she was ready with a nod. He fired into the doorknob and kicked the door in. Scully went in low, Mulder high, moving to his left.

The house was dark, with the only lighting provided by candles scattered throughout the large room. As her eyes adjusted, Scully could just make out three people in the room. A woman dressed in black was headed toward the back of the house. Another woman, also dressed in black, was holding a young girl from behind, a knife pointed at her throat. The girl was crying and looked terrified. Ash was scattered all over the floor, and various knives and carving instruments lay on a table in the center of the room. Scully and Mulder focused on the woman with the weapon.

"Put down the knife. No one has been wounded here; things will go much easier for you if you let the girl go now." Scully hoped to reason with the woman. Now that her eyes had adjusted, Scully could see that the woman's hand was unsteady. She took a step toward her.

"Stay away! Don't come any closer or I'll hurt her!" The woman's voice sounded desperate.

Scully heard Mulder approach the woman from the left. She kept her eyes on the woman and the girl, not turning to look directly at him.

"Look, I'm putting my weapon down." Mulder laid his gun on the floor. "We don't want anybody getting hurt here. I don't think you want anybody getting hurt either. You want life, not death. Isn't that was this is all about?"

The woman hesitated, watching Mulder approach. Scully moved closer slowly while the woman's head was turned. Suddenly the woman pushed the girl straight at Mulder, flung a handful of ash at Scully, and ran toward the front door of the house. Scully closed her eyes, but some of the ash made it inside. She struggled against the sting of the foreign substance in her eyes and tried to blink it out. Mulder caught the girl, who was hysterical but uninjured. In a flash, he raced in pursuit of the woman. He apprehended her just outside the door and cuffed her to the porch. Having secured the Wiccan, he went back inside to check on his partner.

"Scully?"

"I'm okay, Mulder. I just need to flush the ash out of my eyes." Scully's eyes were tearing badly. "How's the girl?"

Mulder walked over to the girl, who was still crying on the floor but had calmed down somewhat. He picked her up, sat her down in a chair, and knelt in front of her. She looked to be about 7 or 8 years old.

"Hey, my name's Mulder. What's your name?" Mulder kept his voice gentle.

"I'm Amanda," the girl replied, sniffling.

"Amanda, I'm going to lend you my phone so that you can call your parents. Let them know you're okay and that the police will be bringing you home soon. Can you do that?"

Amanda nodded, calming down further. She took the phone that Mulder handed her and began dialing. Mulder took the phone briefly from the girl to talk to her mother quickly before handing the phone back to the Amanda. Then he walked over to Scully.

"Scully, there should be a bathroom here. Let's get those eyes rinsed out. Then I'll call the Sheriff and have him send a car over as soon as he can."

Scully allowed Mulder to lead her; she could barely see. On the way to the bathroom, Mulder used Scully's phone to call the Sheriff and update him. The Sheriff promised to send a car within the hour. His men would pursue the investigation to find the other Wiccans involved.

In the bathroom, Mulder held Scully's hair while she rinsed out her eyes at the sink. He rubbed her back gently. When she was done, he dried her face with a hand towel.

"It's okay, Mulder. I'm fine. It's more irritating than anything else." Scully would never admit it to Mulder, but she loved how it felt when he took care of her.

"Are you sure, Scully? Here, let me see." With a hand on her chin, Mulder tilted her head up and checked her eyes, looking for traces of ash. She let him, enjoying how close he was standing to her. She breathed in deeply, taking in his scent. He smelled like aftershave, soap, and sweat; she found the mixture intoxicating.

"Mulder…" Scully put the palms of her hands on Mulder's stomach and pressed them up his chest. The expression in Mulder's eyes changed in response, darkening suddenly. Scully's pulse quickened as she felt Mulder's hands slide down her back, continuing lower, rubbing and squeezing. She couldn't hold back a moan, and her own hands began exploring his chest, her fingertips playing along newly discovered sensitive spots. She heard him catch his breath. In a sudden move, Mulder pulled her into him, crushing her body into his.

"Scully," moaned Mulder, and finally, his lips found hers. It was a hungry kiss, his lips devouring hers, his tongue probing until she opened her mouth to let him taste her. His hands never stopped caressing, stroking, squeezing, until she thought she might scream. The thought of being so close to losing control made her pull back.

"Mulder, the girl…" Mulder blinked, his eyes still unfocused. Then he seemed to remember where they were. He moved his hands to her shoulders.

"Damn, Scully, you weren't lying, were you?"

"What do you mean, Mulder?"

"When you said you were impressive, you weren't lying."

Scully grinned. "You ain't seen nothing yet, Mulder. I hope you haven't forgotten about that 'reenactment' you talked about earlier."

Mulder laughed softly, the sound making Scully shiver. "Oh, it's on. And I hope you haven't forgotten about your promise to take me down."

"I always keep my promises, Mulder."


End file.
